The 20-mile stretch of highway has been off-limits to motorists since January when rains triggered heavy erosion in the fire-ravaged Angeles National Forest. The largest washout, which occurred near Brown Canyon, was about 200 feet deep and required the reconstruction of the entire hillside.

The $16.5 million in repairs by Thousand Oaks-based Burns Pacific Construction was scheduled to be completed in November.

"It gets tricky in the fall," said Kelly Markham, a spokeswoman for the California Department of Transportation. "When the rain comes, that slows things down. But we are saying, tentatively, December."

Recent rain has not caused any additional erosion, she added.

"Because it is a difficult location, things just take a little longer," Markham said.

The ongoing closure has been a challenge for businesses that depend on highway traffic, including Newcomb's Ranch Bar and Restaurant, and the Mt. Waterman Ski Resort.